Islamabad (Web Desk): Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb has refuted rumors about the withdrawal of nomination papers by the ruling parties' candidates for the election of Punjab Assembly.
In a statement, she said that no such decision has been taken by the leadership of the parties to the ruling alliance.
Marriyum Aurangzeb said the parties in the coalition government want elections across the country simultaneously, but these reports are baseless and concocted.
She also urged the media to verify from the spokesperson of the parties before publishing such news.
On April 5, The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) announced to hold election in Punjab on May 14.
In a notification, the electoral body also issued the schedule for the polls in the light of SC's ruling.
On April 4, the SC declared ECP's March 22 decision on Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) elections as null and void.
A three-member SC bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial, and comprising Justice Ijazul Ahsan and Justice Munib Akhtar, announced the reserved verdict.
In its verdict, the court declared the ECP's orders postponing the provincial assembly elections until October 8 as "illegal".
The court directed the ECP to reinstate its previous election schedule under which polls were to be held and extended it by 13 days.
On the other hand, the National Assembly (NA) on Thursday passed a resolution rejecting the top court’s verdict on the Punjab elections.
The resolution was moved by Balochistan Awami Party lawmaker Khalid Magsi and approved by a majority of the lawmakers.
“This house rejects the minority decision of the three-member bench and binds the prime minister and the cabinet not to implement the unconstitutional and unlawful decision,” Magsi said as he read out the resolution.
It said that the house considers the conduct of general elections simultaneously across the country as the solution to all the problems.
The resolution noted that this is in accordance with the procedure laid down in the law and Constitution for political and economic stability.